2008 Woodie Awards
Language matters, especially when talking marriage
Jason Boeckman
Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: OpEd Page
I am one student voice. And you don't have to agree with me. But all I ask, Miami, is that you please listen to me and hear me out.
Despite the rain, I stood at the steps of Cincinnati City Hall Saturday afternoon as part of a nationwide movement in protest of California's Proposition 8. No doubt you've heard of it. Aside from the presidential contest, it became the highest-funded campaign on any ballot in our nation Nov. 4, the campaigns for and against the proposition raising a combined $73.4 million. That's a lot of money-money that isn't feeding our nation's homeless and hungry, or supporting our schools, or combating crime like drug trafficking.
This must be pretty important, to neglect such extremely pressing social issues, you might ask? You bet this is important. Because what's at the heart of all this is exactly that: the human heart. And for many Americans, the human heart is aching. And the human heart cannot believe, cannot understand: How could this have happened?
But the human heart is strong. And the human heart is taking action.
Students from Miami, Xavier University, University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University stood together in solidarity along with other Cincinnatians and Northern Kentuckians to speak out against marriage inequality and also the absence of federal legislation protecting gay and lesbian Americans from workplace discrimination and crime motivated by hate. Cincinnati's turnout was one of the strongest in the nation. Margaret Cho even showed up.
At the protest, I began to realize how wrapped up in language a lot of this is. For instance, what's all of this talk about "redefining" marriage? It's time to clear the air. It is not a redefinition coupled gay and lesbian Americans are after, but, rather, an extension of this civil right to them. They want only to be included.
There should be marriage for gay and lesbian couples and here's why: Domestic partnerships and civil unions just don't cut it. Yes, in some states these are almost equivalent to marriage, but here is the problem (again, back to language): How likely are you to declare "I'm getting civilly unioned this week" in place of a simple statement like "I'm getting married this week"? Or how likely are you to say "I'd like to introduce you to my beautiful domestic partner" instead of saying "I'd like to introduce you to my beautiful wife/husband?"
Despite the rain, I stood at the steps of Cincinnati City Hall Saturday afternoon as part of a nationwide movement in protest of California's Proposition 8. No doubt you've heard of it. Aside from the presidential contest, it became the highest-funded campaign on any ballot in our nation Nov. 4, the campaigns for and against the proposition raising a combined $73.4 million. That's a lot of money-money that isn't feeding our nation's homeless and hungry, or supporting our schools, or combating crime like drug trafficking.
This must be pretty important, to neglect such extremely pressing social issues, you might ask? You bet this is important. Because what's at the heart of all this is exactly that: the human heart. And for many Americans, the human heart is aching. And the human heart cannot believe, cannot understand: How could this have happened?
But the human heart is strong. And the human heart is taking action.
Students from Miami, Xavier University, University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University stood together in solidarity along with other Cincinnatians and Northern Kentuckians to speak out against marriage inequality and also the absence of federal legislation protecting gay and lesbian Americans from workplace discrimination and crime motivated by hate. Cincinnati's turnout was one of the strongest in the nation. Margaret Cho even showed up.
At the protest, I began to realize how wrapped up in language a lot of this is. For instance, what's all of this talk about "redefining" marriage? It's time to clear the air. It is not a redefinition coupled gay and lesbian Americans are after, but, rather, an extension of this civil right to them. They want only to be included.
There should be marriage for gay and lesbian couples and here's why: Domestic partnerships and civil unions just don't cut it. Yes, in some states these are almost equivalent to marriage, but here is the problem (again, back to language): How likely are you to declare "I'm getting civilly unioned this week" in place of a simple statement like "I'm getting married this week"? Or how likely are you to say "I'd like to introduce you to my beautiful domestic partner" instead of saying "I'd like to introduce you to my beautiful wife/husband?"
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